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NEWS
First appearance of new MX-5 in September
Global simultaneous three-city launch planned for Mazda's new sports carMazda has chosen to go against the grain for the launch of the much-anticipated fourth generation MX-5, a model name celebrating 25 years in the market.
Instead of the standard new car launch attended by media, Mazda will hold three simultaneous unveiling events on September 4 for owners and fans in Japan, Spain and the US.
In Japan, the event will be called the "Mazda Roadster Thanks Day in Japan" and will take place at the Maihama Amphitheater one hour east of Tokyo next door to Tokyo's Disneyland. In addition to revealing the all-new model, the Hiroshima company will display examples of the three previous generations in addition to limited edition 25th anniversary merchandise.
Mazda has kicked off a special MX-5 launch dedicated website that will invite the first 1200 people as special guests for the rare event.
The other two venues are Barcelona in Spain and Monterey in California.
The next big challenge is timing; how do you launch the same car at the same time in three different locations with three different time zones? Our source hinted that while it was possible for two locations to synchronise reveal times, one venue would have to stage its event several hours behind the reveal in Japan. So if Japan pulls the covers off its new MX-5 at an evening event, then the Barcelona launch site can unveil their car in the morning of the same day.
But then again, one source suggests that Mazda USA may synchronise its event with the other two and make it an "after-midnight" affair. This would certainly lead to some interesting press coverage.
The coupe's chief engineer Nobuhiro Yamamoto has hinted that the car – which will also form the basis for an upcoming Fiat sports car – will go back to basics, back to where it started life in 1989 (like the NA model pictured). It will be slightly smaller, much lighter, boast higher quality and safety levels and handle better than any previous MX-5. One insider says that the new two-door will tip the scales at 950kgs, and will be powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated SKYACTIV powertrain that promises improved mileage, cleaner emissions and of course enough power to satisfy the most hardcore fans. Bring on September 4.
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Written byPeter Lyon
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